Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to containers for the packaging and dispensing of products, in particular powdered products such as infant nutrition or milk formula. The invention relates in particular to a thin walled thermoformed container with a re-closable lid.
Description of the Related Art
Powdered material, such as infant milk formula, has been sold in various forms of package for many years. Metal cans were initially the preferred container as they were relatively easy and cheap to produce and could be sealed for long term storage. The seal comprised an aluminium foil across the mouth of the container that was removed on first use. As a single container would be used for an extended period, the containers were provided with re-closable plastic lids which gripped over the outer rim of the can. A measuring scoop was frequently included with the container, either packaged separately or within the can itself. Such cans are however relatively heavy and expensive to produce.
More recently, alternative packaging forms have become available which improve on the existing cans. These include plastic and foil laminate container bodies and hinged lid assemblies having a facility to receive and retain a measuring scoop. One such package is described in US 2008041861, having a seal for initially closing the package and a space between the seal and an upper edge of the container for partially receiving the scoop prior to use. The container part may consist of a laminate of carton, metal foil and plastic material. A further similar package is shown in WO2010071424.
Laminate wall constructions allow the container to be produced relatively cheaply, while ensuring strength and good conservation of the contents. Nevertheless, the use of such materials may be disadvantageous for recycling of the containers. It would therefore be desirable to provide an alternative container construction that alleviated at least some of the perceived inconveniences of the prior art.